National media are much higher on the Rangers with Brad Richards on board

The 2011 season is fast approaching and everyone with a
keyboard is posting predictions for the upcoming campaign.Here’s a look at how national media think the
Rangers will do this season:

The
Hockey News – [7th seed] “Why: One of the best defensive teams in the NHL
last season backed by one of the game's elite goalies in Henrik Lundqvist, the
young blueline led by Marc Staal and Dan Girardi will take another step forward
in 2011-12. The area the Rangers needed improvement on was offense and that was
addressed by adding the summer's top free agent, playmaking center Brad Richards.
How much will Richards help the Blueshirts? Well, he doesn't automatically make
them a powerhouse, but the thought of him alongside sniper Marian Gaborik is
tantalizing. The Rangers can't be worse after improving their greatest need,
but also won't jump too far ahead of where they were a year ago.”

Adam
Proteau (The Hockey News) – [7th seed] “Yet again, the Rangers are coming
off a season in which they looked good at times, but ultimately fizzled in the
first round of the playoffs. The reason for that is simple: they had a
world-class goalie in Henrik Lundqvist and impact forwards including Marian
Gaborik, Ryan Callahan and Brandon Dubinsky – but they didn’t have enough depth
to keep pushing when injuries struck Gaborik and Callahan. Bringing in Brad
Richards and Mike Rupp will help in that regard, but their defense still seems
like a work-in-progress – especially with troubling news about Marc Staal and
his post-concussion symptoms – and that could, once again, be enough to make
them a one-series-and-done playoff team.”

NHL.com – “If the Rangers can avoid half the injuries they suffered last season, not
only will they be a lock for the playoffs, but they'll contend for the Atlantic
Division. They have a solid group of young defensemen who showed improvement
throughout last season and a world-class goaltender in Henrik Lundqvist
there to cover up any mistakes. Consistency from the offense will be key.
If the Rangers have it, they could find themselves in the second round of the
playoffs for the first time since 2008.”

TSN.ca – “Brad Richards signed on for a reminder of the good times he had
winning in Tampa Bay. However, in the process, he also signed on for a re-run
of the Sean Avery show.Team chemistry can be a very delicate balance and under the bright
lights of Broadway, the pressure on Richards and, possibly the entire Rangers
team, has not been this high in years.Can Avery behave himself for another full season and put the team first,
or is it only a matter of time before he acts out again and burns his final
bridge to the NHL?Richards got a front
row seat to the dog and pony show that was Avery's exit from Dallas, so if
Avery is that toxic, certainly Richards would be one of the NHLers with
first-hand knowledge.But the
expectation surrounding Avery has always been to expect the unexpected. If the Rangers fire on all cylinders, they
could dominate in the East and even win the Atlantic Division.But what if Avery goes off again?”

Kevin
Allen (USA Today) – [1st in Atlantic Division, 2rd in Eastern Conference] “If
Richards generates 90 or more points, the Rangers have a shot at their first
division title since 1994.”

Puck
Daddy – “The Rangers will qualify for the playoffs, with an improved
offense and a strong defense in front of Lundqvist. Success in the postseason
comes down to seeding and special teams, but the Rangers have a collection of
gritty vets and solid young players that have the potential for something
special.”

Scott
Burnside (ESPN) – “There was so much buzz around the signing of free-agent
center Brad Richards this summer, it was easy to forget that the New
York Rangers already had a lot going for them, from an elite netminder to a
collection of young, hard-working defensemen to a handful of homegrown,
talented forwards.Make no mistake,
Richards is a key addition and should help rejuvenate star winger Marian
Gaborik after a disappointing 2010-11 campaign and propel the Rangers up
the Eastern Conference standings. But this is a team that is far more than the
sum of its free-agent signings.”

ProHockeyTalk – “The Rangers have things in place to be a very good team. They should
absolutely be a playoff team and stressing out at the end of the season
shouldn’t happen again this year. As long as Richards and Gaborik stay
healthy and keep their offense rolling, they’ll be a tougher team to handle.
Their forward roster is deep and while there’s questions on their defense
still, Lundqvist makes it all stand up. The question for New York is just how
they can manage as a playoff team.”

Sarah
Kwak (Sports Illustrated) – “Richards will be playing alongside Marian
Gaborik, a 2009 free-agent pickup. A lefthanded shot playing the right wing,
Gaborik is just the kind of linemate with whom Richards has thrived in the past
(most notably Martin St. Louis in Tampa). A consistent top line would relieve
goalie Henrik Lundqvist from having to carry the team. The Rangers' biggest
concern, though, is their defense, which is extremely young (none of the
defensemen are older than 27) and untested. Having more scoring options is
great, but if New York cannot find a way out of its own zone, the path to the
postseason will be tough.”

Darren
Elliot(Sports Illustrated) – “This is an emerging outfit built largely on
an identity of hard work and being hard to play against on a nightly basis. If
the Rangers can survive an October on the road and put up more wins at the
under-construction Madison Square Garden -- like they did two seasons ago -- a
top three seed in April is possible.”

Brian
Monzo (WFAN) – [47-27-8] “I am not sure what the opinion of John Tortorella
is around the Ranger fans, but I am believer. He wants to
win. That’s all you can ask for in a coach.”

RLD
Hockey – “The Atlantic Division might just be the best division in the NHL
this season. With that said, the Rangers might have just what it takes to
finish atop it.”

The
Hockey Writers – [7th seed] “No one in this world would tell you that the
Rangers had a bad off-season; Brad Richards gives the Rangers a prominent No. 1
centre to play with Marian Gaborik, and adding Tim Erixon on defence makes
sense. The Rangers lost very little in Grachev, Gilroy and Frolov.”